Bereavement Services
The loss of a pregnancy or the death of a baby at any stage is heartbreaking.
At The National Maternity Hospital, we are committed to supporting you and your family with empathy, sensitivity and care.
Our Bereavement Team — including our Clinical Midwife Specialist, Chaplain and clinical staff — will walk alongside you, offering emotional, practical and compassionate support during this deeply difficult time.
Our Clinical Midwife Specialists in Bereavement provide ongoing, personalised support for you and your partner following your loss. We work closely with the wider clinical team to ensure your care is gentle, respectful and tailored to your needs.
We can help you with:
- Follow‑up care with a senior doctor/consultant and the Bereavement Midwife
- Support and counselling after pregnancy loss
- Guidance on children’s grief
- Planning investigations for recurrent miscarriage
- Support during pregnancy when a life‑limiting condition is diagnosed
- Support in pregnancy after loss
To contact the Bereavement Midwives: Phone: 01‑6373225 Email: bereavement@nmh.ie
Services Available
Bereavement Counselling Service
The loss of a pregnancy, or death of a baby during pregnancy or around the time of birth can be devastating for expectant and newly bereaved parents. Our Bereavement Team understand this can be a deeply challenging and isolating experience which is often unacknowledged and misunderstood by family and friends.
You may need a supportive space to have your feelings heard and your grief normalised and validated. Whether you are seeking guidance, coping strategies, or simply someone to listen to, our dedicated Bereavement Counselling Service is here to help and support you.
Bereavement Clinics
After a loss, many parents ask: “Why did this happen?” and “Will it happen again?” Our bereavement clinics provide compassionate, timely follow‑up care to help answer these questions.
There are four consultant‑led clinics:
- Recurrent Miscarriage Clinic
- TLC Clinic
- Stillbirth Clinic
- Reproductive Genetics Clinic
Parents whose baby died in the neonatal period are offered an appointment with a consultant neonatologist.
These clinics provide:
- Results of medical investigations
- Certificates for stillbirth or neonatal death (where relevant)
- Space to discuss how you are coping
- Ongoing support tailored to your needs
Our consultant pathologists and geneticist also contribute to these clinics, offering specialist insight where needed.
The Bereavement Symbol
The National Maternity Hospital supports the bereavement symbol which was developed by the Hospice Friendly Hospitals Programme. The symbol is inspired by ancient Irish history and is not associated with any religion or denomination.
The symbol is placed outside the room of those who have experienced a bereavement. This highlights the need for sensitivity to all staff and minimises any unnecessary disturbance.
The Book of Remembrance
…every life that ever forms or ever comes to be touches the world in some small way for all eternity….
Parents are invited to have their babies’ names entered in our Book of Remembrance which is on view daily in the Hospital Oratory. Forms can be downloaded here and returned to the chaplain by email – chaplainber@nmh.ie
Annual Service of Remembrance
This non-denominational service is an annual invitation for bereaved parents to come together with hospital staff to remember and acknowledge pregnancy loss and babies who have died during pregnancy and around the time of birth.
The National Maternity Hospital’s Annual Remembrance Service will take place in St Andrew’s Church on Westland Row at 3pm on the 2nd Sunday of October every year.
Anyone affected by the loss of a baby or babies is welcome to attend. We hope you will be able to join us on this special day.
For further information email bereavement@nmh.ie
FAQ
What does our Bereavement Counselling Service offer?
Our Bereavement Counselling Service offers either in person or online appointments with Brenda our Clinical Midwife Specialist in Bereavement and Loss & psychotherapist.
Not everyone has the support they need following a pregnancy loss, or it may be that those around you don’t grasp the significance of what you have experienced. Counselling can be helpful to deal with the unexpected nature of pregnancy loss. It provides an opportunity to talk about what happened in a safe space to try and make sense of what you experienced.
Who can access the service?
Anyone who has experienced miscarriage, recurrent miscarriage, stillbirth or neonatal death and attended NMH in the last 12 months.
Where do appointments take place?
In person in a quiet counselling room on the ground floor, or online via WebEx.
What happens at the appointment?
You will meet with Brenda, who will gently guide and support you.
How long is the appointment?
{;ease allow 50 minutes
What happens at the appointment?
You will meet with Brenda, who will gently guide and support you.
How many appointments can I have?
Up to six sessions, depending on your needs. Further support can be arranged through community services if needed
Can my partner attend?
Yes, your partner is welcome.
Is there a charge?
No — this service is free.
Contact Details
Please contact us for information and support.
We invite you to contact us in a subsequent pregnancy, to ensure that you get reassurance from an early scan and to ensure that you are booked into the most appropriate clinic for your antenatal care.
- Email bereavement@nmh.ie
- Phone 0879155850
- Clinic Hours Monday- Friday 7.30-4pm